Istanbul

The big-ticket item is genuinely free: Turkish Airlines covers a 2-night stay at a 4-star hotel in Istanbul. But "free" has edges worth knowing: you still typically pay for meals beyond anything included, any city or tourist tax, and a transit-visa fee if your passport needs one. Compare the total fare too: adding a stopover doesn't always cost the same as a plain connection.

Passengers flying Turkish Airlines on a ticket issued by the airline, with a qualifying layover in IST between 20 and 168 hours. Eligible booking classes: Economy, Business. Hotel tier: Economy 1N / Business 2N at 4-5★ standard; enhanced (Economy 2N / Business 3N at 5★) for pax from US, CA, MX, CL, BR, AU, NZ, JP, KR, mainland China (PVG/CAN/PEK), TW, SG, MY, ID, plus India (BOM/DEL) at standard tier. Apply at least 72h before the accommodated flight.

Your connection in IST should fall between 20 and 168 hours. Two things travelers get caught by: flight-search sites usually show the shortest connection by default, and that's often too short to qualify. You may need to deliberately pick a longer-layover flight. And the layover shown isn't all usable: clearing immigration and any baggage steps eats into it, so give yourself comfortable margin above the 20-hour minimum.

Stopover programs are run by the airline, so the safest route is a ticket booked directly with Turkish Airlines on an eligible fare. Award and miles tickets, and bookings made through online travel agencies or other third-party sites, often follow different rules: sometimes they don't qualify, sometimes the stopover has to be arranged another way. Before booking like that, confirm directly with Turkish Airlines that your specific ticket type is eligible.

To leave the airport for your stopover you must meet Turkey's transit or entry rules, and this matters before you even fly: if your passport requires a transit visa and you don't have one, the airline can deny boarding. The good news: many nationalities get visa-free transit, visa-on-arrival, or a quick e-visa, and some stopover programs include the transit visa. Select your nationality on this page to see the exact requirement for Turkey, and arrange any visa well before departure.

Airlines do sometimes adjust schedules after you book. A change can shorten or lengthen your layover. If it drops the connection below the 20-hour minimum, or past the maximum, it can affect your eligibility. If you get a schedule-change notice, re-check your layover against the program's window and contact Turkish Airlines to rebook or re-confirm the stopover. It's worth re-checking your itinerary a few days before departure.

On a single Turkish Airlines ticket, your checked bags are normally tagged straight through to your final destination, so you head into Istanbul with just your carry-on, and your luggage continues on the onward flight. You'd only collect and re-check bags if part of your trip is on a separate ticket. If you'd like a checked bag with you for the overnight stay, ask Turkish Airlines when you arrange the stopover.

Most stopover programs allow only one stopover per round-trip — on either the outbound or the return leg, not both. A few carriers are more flexible. Confirm with Turkish Airlines whether your specific itinerary can include a stopover on each leg before planning two stops.

Turkish Airlines assigns the hotel — typically a 4-star property in or near Istanbul — rather than letting you choose a specific one, though premium-cabin passengers are often placed in higher-tier hotels. The exact property is confirmed when you arrange the stopover.

For hotel stopover: submit the online Booker form (last name + ticket number) at turkishairlines.com, or email the country-specific stopover address (no single global email). For Touristanbul: register at the IST Arrivals desk 30 minutes before tour departure — no pre-booking required.

Up to 7 days. You can extend your layover without paying additional airfare, as long as it fits within the program's rules.

Tours offered: Touristanbul Guided Tours. Availability varies by season and requires advance booking through Turkish Airlines.

Yes. You must request the stopover 72 hours before departure.